Adventures

I’ve been working a lot lately. Like 50 plus hours a week. That’s a whole lot for me, considering when I’m home I work about 25- 30 hours a week. It’s ok though because I still have plenty of time to hike, and there’s really nothing else to do. I have no chores, no errands, and no responsibilities other than to show up for work. And, the work is good. It’s pretty easy really except when we’re busy and everyone comes to dinner at the same time. Mostly I am waiting tables, but I’ve also bar tended a bit. The bar tending is much fun because that’s when I can really talk to people and hear their stories, and share mine.

While I say that I have plenty of time to hike, my hikes are pretty uneventful and nothing exciting to write about for the most part. I wish I could write descriptions like Edward Abbey. My words can’t even begin to describe this magnificent place. Monday I finished work around 3:00 and then was off Tuesday and Wednesday (today), so I packed up my 4Runner and set off for an adventure.

I headed up to what is called “the high country”, up above Costilla Lodge (the more exclusive lodge 30 miles west of where I work and live). I stopped at Costilla and got a radio (upon the insistence of several caring people) then drove up to Seven Lakes. I drove around a bit, then went back down to the first lake to “camp out.” I actually “camped” in my truck because it was pretty cold and also ended up raining a good bit. I fixed my supper on the open tailgate and enjoyed a couple glasses (out of my coffee mug) of wine. The rain started about the time I finished eating so I crawled into the back of my truck and read for a bit. It was quite cozy reclining there with the back open, enjoying my book and enjoying the rain. Eventually the rain was too much, so I closed up the back and snuggled into my sleeping bag with my book. I was off to sleep pretty quickly. I slept soundly until about 6:00 and woke to a foggy morning.

I made coffee, and then oatmeal, and enjoyed a leisurely start to my day. The drive to the trailhead to Casias Lakes is about five miles from where I camped. I love driving on these four-wheel drive roads. I drove until the road ended and parked there at the trailhead. It was about a mile hike to the first lake. This is where it’s hard to write descriptions because it’s so much more than a physical description of the lake and the huge mountains surrounding it. It’s the overwhelming feeling of fullness that I get when I see something so breathtakingly beautiful. It’s truly a spiritual experience. I will post some pictures to go along with this, but even the photographs can’t do it justice. I can’t capture the depth, the vastness with a camera.

From first lake I hiked on to three more lakes where again my breath was taken away at the splendor of the great mountains. I set out to hike up to the ridge, but took the wrong way up and had to go back down. It didn’t look that hard from down below, but as I scrambled up through nothing but scree, and watched rocks go flying down the mountains, I decided that this was not a good idea. I hitched my pack up as high as I could and scooted back down on my bottom. I did find a better way up that was actually a little trail. There aren’t many trails around here. I was able to follow this trail easily to the ridge top. I say easily, but actually hiking around here is not easy. Everything is harder in high altitudes. I followed the ridge over to the top of Costilla Peak (over 12,000 feet). I added a rock to the cairn built to mark the top of the mountain, and took a picture to show that I made it all the way. I could see a lake from the top of the mountain and looked through my binoculars to confirm that it was the first lake I had hiked to. There was something like a paddleboat there and that was the only lake with one of those. I continued down the other side of the mountain, again scooting part of the way down on my butt because it was so steep and nothing but loose gravel. Making it down the mountain, I followed a ravine back to the first lake where I sat and ate my lunch and cooled my feet in the lake.

After lunch I set off back down the trail to my truck where I continued my adventure behind the wheel. There are road maps of Vermejo Park Ranch, but there are a lot more roads that aren’t on the maps than roads that were found worthy enough to make it to print. I drove along a road that looked like it would take me to a place where I was on my last venture to the high country. Remember Glacier Lakes and the time my truck wouldn’t start? The map looked like it hooked up with the road just below that area. I drove and drove and drove. The road started getting bad. I shifted into four-wheel drive and continued on. I started driving over little trees in the middle of the road. It wasn’t getting any better and I started to feel like I was in over my head and driving in an area that was beyond my driving ability. Ok, just turn around right? Wrong. The road is tight and narrow, with nowhere possible to turn around, I am seeing huge mountain peaks and thinking: “oh shit.”  Finally I come to a tree across the road and low and behold there is room to get turned around. I back track to a place that turns off the “main road” and crosses a creek; I should have turned here in the first place, but there was no turn indicated on the map. I followed the road through the woods for a bit then into a field. Ok, this is where I wanted to be. Except that I am sideways going along through the field thinking about Tina (who gave me the 4Runner last fall) warning me about the fact that these vehicles have a high turnover rate. Yikes! I finally get back to the road that I wanted to be on. I drove back to Costilla where I returned the radio (I never even turned it on). I set off back towards the main lodge with a route in mind that would take me by something labeled on the map as “The Wall.” This wall I never found, and somehow ended up back on the main road. That’s ok, I’ve had enough driving adventure for the day. I continue eastward with the intention of driving to a place called: Castle Rock Camp, thinking that I could camp there for the night. I got to Castle Rock Camp easily, but it wasn’t a camp at all. Oh, it was an old cattle camp, but now it’s where some employees keep their horses. There are several buildings there, but no real place for camping. I drove beyond the buildings and parked in a wooded area with the intention of sleeping there for the night anyway. But, after fixing dinner and reading for a bit I decided to head back to the lodge for the night. I packed up and set off down the road. It was a little different route than the one I took in, but still a straight shot back to the main road. Or so I thought. I drove for several miles, seeing several elk herds, and realizing that I had gone way too far. Still I thought that this road would have to hook back up with the main road. The sun behind me, I felt like I was heading in the right direction anyway. I must have driven twenty miles when I came to a locked gate. It was nearly dark by now and I couldn’t figure out where I had gone wrong so I didn’t feel like I could easily retrace my way back the way I had come. I called the front desk and told Makayla that I was at VPR 134 (sign on the gate) and she put me on hold to make a call to get a combination for the lock. In the meantime a truck was going by on the road ahead so I flashed my lights and attracted their attention. It was Elise (reservations manager) and her boyfriend Dustin. Elise had a key and opened the gate for me. I had completely driven outside the ranch and had to reenter through the main gate behind Elise and Dustin. Wow, what a day! I was so glad to be back “home.”

On another adventure…..

Last week I had two days off and drove to Santa Fe. I decided I needed to get off the ranch for a bit and pick up some things in town. Santa Fe itself was pretty uneventful for me. I’m not much of a city person and beautiful as it is, it is very touristy and I’m just not into shopping and sight seeing. The highlight of the trip though was reconnecting with some folks I had met there when I was through four years ago. I had set up camp at a forest service campsite outside of town then went in to see the sights and grab some dinner. I had ordered my dinner and was sipping on a beer when the band began to play. I got up to dance all by myself, then sat back down when my food was served. Sam came over and introduced himself to me and invited me to sit with him and his wife Jean. We had a fun night talking and dancing there at La Fonda’s. I had a cup of coffee with Jean the next day at their home and was then on my way. So, when I decided to make the trip to Santa Fe, I sent them an email and arranged to visit with them at their home. I brought a bottle of wine and Jean fixed the most wonderful dinner of salmon and risotto with asparagus and procuitto. It was so cool to make the reconnection. What a wonderful couple! They have been married almost as long as I have been alive, but it just felt like being with long time friends. I spent the night in their guest room and set off the next morning. Sam fixed me oatmeal for breakfast and Jean sent me on my way with the leftover risotto.

From Santa Fe I drove to Taos, where I had planned to couch surf, but it too was too touristy (of course I am a tourist too!) for me so I made a quick visit to the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge and then headed east. I camped at a place called: Eagle Nest. It was a beautiful drive through Red River to a forest service campground that was crowded but quiet. I heated the leftover risotto in my Jet Boil (big mistake as the Jet Boil is only designed to heat water) and enjoyed another delicious dinner (yes, in spite of the Jet Boil). I pitched my tent beside a little creek and slept peacefully through the night. Then headed back to Vermejo the next morning.

That’s all for now. No more days off until next week~